When should you buy your bike online?

Doubts about buying a bike online

You are wondering whether you should buy a bike from your local bike shop, like in the old days, or order it online instead. Both options have their pros and cons. Below you will find my story to help you decide what suits you best: the shop on the corner or an online bike shop.

The pros and cons of buying your bike online:

One colleague swears by buying his bike from an online bike shop, another does not dare to and values the service and trust of the local bike mechanic more. Or, depending on the type of bike (city bike, e-bike, Dutch granny bike, children’s bike, folding bike), “I decide that,” says number three.

I am not here to convince you to buy locally from a bike shop or specifically online, but to share and describe the pros and cons of both options with you below.

I will start with my summary of the pros and cons of each option and explain which I believe is most suitable for which type of buyer. After that, I will go into how and where you should buy bikes online if you choose to do so.

Online bike shops

Online bike shop: buying your bike online instead of in a physical store can offer advantages such as lower prices, a better selection, faster delivery and a smoother experience. The disadvantages can be that you cannot test-ride the bike before you buy, you have to sort out the fit yourself or with your own mechanic, and you are not always able to return or exchange it if you do not like the bike. If you already know the bike or bikes you are considering, know exactly which type you are looking for and what sizes you need, feel comfortable with online shopping and do not want to spend a lot of time visiting stores, then buying a bike from an online bike shop is the perfect solution. Also, if the shops near you do not stock the bike brand you are looking for, you may get a better-performing and better-fitting bike that can cost less and be delivered faster by buying your bike online from an online bike shop. Looking for the best online bike shop? Then read more here.

Physical bike shops

Physical bike shop: if you are not sure what you want, have a trusted relationship with someone at a nearby bike shop who really knows their stuff, rely on them for repairs and do not fully trust online sellers, then you are usually better off buying a new bike from your local bike shop. The costs will generally be higher here, since they have to keep stock in a more expensive premises in an A1 or A2 location (in a neighbourhood or shopping centre rather than in a remote distribution centre) and there always has to be someone in the shop for customers.

In short: if you know exactly what you want – the size, the brand, the version, etc. – then buying a bike from an online bike shop is a very logical, cheaper and perfectly fine choice. It saves money and sometimes time on delivery. If you do not know what you are looking for and are unfamiliar with sizes, brands, etc., then it is wise to first go to a local bike shop for advice. You can still decide to arrange the actual purchase of the bike via an online bike shop afterwards. Do you want to know which bike shop you should choose to get the purchase and service you expect? Then visit www.fietsenwinkelsvergelijken.nl to make the right choice based on objective reviews and experiences from others. Because of the many online providers, it is difficult to find the right online bike shop, so it pays to read other people’s experiences/reviews.